Raphael Varane interview: Frenchman opens up about his dream move to Man United | OneFootball

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The Peoples Person

·17 September 2021

Raphael Varane interview: Frenchman opens up about his dream move to Man United

Article image:Raphael Varane interview: Frenchman opens up about his dream move to Man United

Raphael Varane has spoken about his long-awaited move to Manchester United and how he aims to win silverware at the club.

In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, the 2018 World Cup winner mentioned how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s vision for the club immediately convinced him to join the Red Devils.


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“He spoke to me about the ambition of the team and how I would feel playing for Manchester United, said Varane.”

“Paul (Pogba) spoke to me about the club, about the atmosphere, about the expectations.”

“Of course, he is a great player. But he also has very good, positive energy. He is a leader for the group. I’ve known him for a very long time, so I’m happy to play with him.”

United have been long admirers of Varane since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Sir Alex reportedly tried to convince him to join the club by visiting his mother’s house in Lille.

He was very impressed by Varane’s ability at the young age of 18.

Varane said: “It’s amazing to meet a person like him at 18. You know, after that, it’s your destiny. Ten years in Madrid, and now I’m here.”

At Real Madrid, Varane developed into one of the best centre-backs in the world, winning multiple titles, including 3 La Ligas, 4 Champions Leagues and a World Cup for France.

Finally, after ten years, United managed to get their man from Madrid, much to fans’ excitement.

The 28 year old stated how he is excited with the challenge the Premier League brings.

“That’s my mentality. I want to be better. I want to improve. I want to push myself.”

“This is a new challenge for me. A different competition, a different mentality, a different atmosphere. It’s all new for me, but I’ve enjoyed every day so far.”

“It’s a big challenge to get Manchester United back to the top, but I feel people want to win, people want to do great things with this club, and that’s a big motivation for me.”

On playing with Cristiano Ronaldo, he stated: “I think he is the best example in the world in terms of work ethic and winning mentality.”

The two shared the dressing room for seven seasons at Madrid.

“Playing with this type of player, you improve every day. If he is still playing to such a high level at his age, it’s because his work is amazing. I’m very happy to play with him.”

Man United are getting Varane at the peak of his powers. The 28 year old is the ideal partner for Harry Maguire in defence and will allow Solskjaer’s side to play a higher line.

He is a leader on and off the pitch and will add valuable experience to this team.

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